Conveyer for metal sheets



March 3, 1931. w. E. WATKINS 1,794,659

CONVEYER FOR ME'I 'AL SHEETS Filed Dec. 2'7. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENTQR MOI/mm 5 "(of/97':

BY I (J4 ATTORNEYS March 3, 1931. w, w Kms 1,794,659

CONVEYER FOR METAL SHEETS Filed Dec. 2'7, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 BY W ,g hlmwauma ATTORNEYS j 25 of the sheet.

Patented Mar. 3, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM E. WATKINS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO COPPER PLATE SHEET 8c TUBE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY GONVEYER FOR METAL SHEETS Application filed December 27, 1929. sem No. 416,826.

This invention relates to conveyers, and more particularly to a conveyer particularly adapted for transporting arched metal sheets "through an annealin furnace.

In my prior application, erial No. 116,486, filed June 16, 1926, I have disclosed and claimed a process of annealing in which the sheets are arched transversely and then con veyed singly through an annealing furnace while in arched condition. While passing through the furnace the side edges of the sheet rest on transverse arms of a conveyer and the sheets are held in place by lugs or projections on the ends of these arms. In practicing the process of my prior application I have found that the sheets may be unevenly heated and when this occurs they tend to sag throughout a portion of the arch which sagging will displace the edge of the sheet from its position on the conveyer. In the present invention this difficulty is overcome by placing auxiliary arms on the transverse arms of the conveyer which auxiliary arms extend upwardly toward the curved portion If the sheet tends to sag at either side of the center of the arch it is engaged by one of these arms and further sagging is prevented beforev the opposite edge of the sheet springs out of position on the conveyer arm.

In the accompanying drawings I have Ishown one form of the invention. In this showing,

Fig. 1 is a vertical, sectional view of an annealing furnace showing the conveyer in operation;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of the furnace sprockets showing the arrangement of the conveyer chain; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse, sectional view of the conveyer showing one of the transverse arms in elevation.

Referring to the drawings, the reference numeral 1 designates the furnace which is formed of suitable refractory material and is provided with a longitudinal chamber or passage 2 through which the arched sheets are carried by the conveyer. The conveyer is supported throughout its .travel'within the furnace upon tracks or rails 3. The main burner of the furnace is illustrated at 4 and air is supplied to the burner througha ipe 5 from a suitable blower. The hot com ustion gases pass through openings 6 in the refractory arch 7 and then come in contact with the advancing sheets A carried by the conveyer in the chamber or passage 2. Suitablesprockets are arranged at op osite ends of the furnace, one of the sproc ets being shown at 9 in Fig. 2 of the drawings. After passing over the sprocket 9 at the rear of the furnace the conveyer chain travels for- .wardly through a chamber or passage 10 beneath the furnace.

The conveyer forming the subject matter,

of the present invention comprises a chain formed of parallel links 11 connected by rollers 12 which are suitably spaced from each other to engage the sprockets 8 of the sprocket wheel 9. The sheets are supported by transverse arms 13 mounted on the conveyer at suitable intervals as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. These transverse arms are provided with upturned ends 14 which are adapted to engage the side edges of the sheet as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings. Adjacent the centerthe lower surfaces of the arms are provided with bearing portions 15 adapted to engage the rails 3. Between the two bearing portions the arm is provided with a depending portion 16 having a pair of parallel arms 17. The lower faces of these arms are flattened or enlarged as at 18 and are adapted to receive ears or brackets 19 which are in turn secured to the links 11 of the conveyer chain.

The construction heretofore described is disclosed in my copending application. In the present invention I provide two or more arms 20 extending upwardly from the transverse arm 13 which arms are adapted to en- When the sheet sags on one side as indicated prising a conveyer chain, transverse arms 7 secured to said chain and adapted to su port the arched sheet, and arms carried y said transverse arms intermediate the ends of said transverse arms and extending upwardly a considerable distance therefrom to prevent sagging of said arched sheets.

2. A conveyer for arched metal sheets comprising a conveyer chain, a lurality of transverse arms carried by sai chain and projecting on each side of said chain, and arms carried by said transverse arms and arranged on each side of the center thereof and spaced from the. ends thereof, said arms extending upwardly a considerable distance from said transverse arms to prevent sagging of said arched sheets. I

3. A conveyer for arched metal sheets comprising a conveyer chain, a transverse member adapted to be secured to said chain, said transverse member being provided with a depending central portion adapted to be secured to the links of the conveyer chain, and arms carried by said transverse member intermediate the ends of said transverse mem-' her and extending upwardly a considerable distance therefrom to prevent sagging of said arched sheets.

r A. A conveyer for arched metal sheet s comprising a conveyer chain, rails arranged on each side of said chain, a transverse member carried by said chain, said transverse member being provided with hearing surfaces adapted to ride on said rails, said transverse member being provided with a depending central portion adapted to be secured to the links of the conveyer chain, and arms carried by said transverse member intermediate the ends of said transverse member and extending upwardly a considerable distance therefrom to prevent sagging of said arched sheets.

5. A conveyer for arched metal sheets comable distance therefrom to sheeton said conveyer, and arms carried by said transverse member intermediate the ends of said transverse member and extending upwardlya considerable distance therefrom to prevent sagging of said arched sheets. v 6. A conveyer for arched metal sheets comprising a conveyer chain, a transverse member projecting on each side of said chain, means on each end of said transverse member for engaging the edge of an arched metal sheet to retain it in position on said conveyer, and arms carried by said transverse member intermediate the ends of said transverse member and extending upwardly a considerprevent sagging of said arched sheets. i

In testimony whereof I afiix my si fWILLIAM E. WAT

ature. INS. 

